Pedagogia Waldorf enriquecida com tecnologias digitais? A realidade nos Estados da Bahia e de Sergipe

Abstract

This research, developed within the Graduate Program in Education (PPGED) at the Federal University of Sergipe and linked to the Study and Research Group on Informatics in Education (GEPIED), investigated whether Digital Information and Communication Technologies (DICT) were being integrated into the pedagogical practices of Waldorf schools in the states of Bahia and Sergipe, considering the specific characteristics of this pedagogical approach, the regulatory frameworks of Brazilian Education, and the challenges posed by contemporary digital culture. To this end, the following specific objectives were established: a) to map Waldorf schools located in the states of Bahia and Sergipe, identifying the educational levels offered; b) to identify the presence or absence of pedagogical practices related to the use of DICT in the schools; c) to understand teachers’ and school administrators’ perceptions regarding the use of DICT and its possible compatibility with the principles of Waldorf Education; and d) to analyze, through a SWOT matrix (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats), the possibilities and limitations of integrating DICT into the Waldorf pedagogical context. The investigation adopted a qualitative approach, with an exploratory and explanatory character, and was conducted through a multiple-case study. The initial mapping identified 24 institutions related to Waldorf Education, nine affiliated with the Federation of Waldorf Schools in Brazil and fifteen inspired by this educational approach. From this group, four schools were intentionally selected, two in each state. Fourteen professionals participated in the research, including teachers and school administrators. Data production involved a comprehensive reading of the schools’ Political-Pedagogical Projects and the conduction of face-to-face semi structured interviews. The interviews were examined based on Discursive Textual Analysis. The analytical process began with 541 units of meaning and, after refinement, resulted in 408 units, organized into 17 initial categories, five intermediate categories, and three final categories. The findings showed that human development in the institutions investigated was linked to concrete experiences lived by children, especially through art, bodily experience, manual work, nature, imagination, and social interaction. Concerns regarding digital culture were also associated with the preservation of childhood and respect for developmental rhythms, particularly in light of the speed and overstimulation present in contemporary life. DICT assumed different roles related to communication, planning, and institutional organization across the schools. The SWOT matrix made it possible to synthesize these tensions and indicated that decisions related to digital technologies depended on pedagogical mediation, teacher education, dialogue with families, and the explicit inclusion, in the Political Pedagogical Projects, of the principles guiding their use, restriction, or non-central role. It was concluded that the presence of technological devices or the frequency of their use was not sufficient to assess the relevance of DICT. Decisions regarding their integration needed to consider educational intentionality, the students’ stage of development, the conditions of each school, and the formative principles guiding their practices. Thus, the research indicated that digital technologies can be integrated into pedagogical contexts guided by Waldorf principles, provided that their use is mediated, context-sensitive, and does not replace experiences considered essential to development and integral human formation.